Mexican Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients

• 2 boneless chicken breasts
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• 3 ripe tomatoes, halved
• 1 white onion, halved
• 3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 2 dried guajillo chilies, stemmed and seeded
• 1 dried pasilla chili, stemmed and seeded
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 6 corn tortillas, cut into thin strips
• Oil, for frying the tortilla strips
• 2 limes, cut into wedges
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco
• Fresh cilantro, chopped

Before you cook

• Halve the tomatoes and onion.
• Stem and seed the dried chilies.
• Cut the corn tortillas into thin strips.

Steps

1. Put the chicken breasts into a pot with the broth and 1 teaspoon salt.
2. Bring the pot to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
3. Lift out the chicken and set it aside to cool, keeping the broth in the pot.
4. Shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces once it is cool enough to handle.
5. Heat a dry heavy skillet over medium-high heat with no oil.
6. Place the tomato halves, onion halves and garlic cloves cut-side down in the hot skillet.
7. Char the vegetables for about 8 minutes, turning occasionally, until blackened in spots.
8. Remove the vegetables and let them cool slightly, then peel the garlic.
9. Toast the dried chilies in the same dry skillet for about 30 seconds per side, until fragrant but not burnt.
10. Soak the toasted chilies in hot water for 10 minutes, then drain.
11. Blend the charred tomatoes, onion, garlic and soaked chilies with a cup of the reserved broth until smooth.
12. Heat the tablespoon of oil in a clean pot over medium heat.
13. Add the ground cumin and let it sizzle for 30 seconds.
14. Pour in the blended sauce and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.
15. Pour in the remaining broth and bring it to a gentle simmer.
16. Simmer for 15 minutes, then season with salt to taste.
17. Stir the shredded chicken back into the pot and warm it through.
18. Pour oil into a separate skillet to a depth of 1cm and heat it over medium heat.
19. Fry the tortilla strips in batches until crisp, about 2 minutes, then drain on paper towels.
20. Ladle the soup into bowls.
21. Top each bowl with fried tortilla strips, avocado slices, queso fresco and cilantro.
22. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing over the top.